Mac & Cheese Sauce Ingredients

[karenwinslow1]

Since my 9 yr. old was diagnosed wi celiac in Feb. I have been trying to find replacements for favorite meals. I thought I had found a solution to Macaroni & Cheese by using the Biaglut pasta with Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Sauce from the packet. NOT! She had her second reaction since she was diagnosed. (The first was in a restaurant from cross contamination).

I tried to crosscheck all of the ingredients listed in the sauce part of the mix and cant figure out what the villain was (besides me!).

Ingredients are: whey, milk fat, milk protein concentrate, salt, calcium carbonate, sodium tripolyphosphate, contains less than 2% of citric acid, sodium phosphte, lactic acid, milk, yellow 5, yellow 6, enzymes, cheese culture.

If anyone recognizes any of these as a problem could you let me know so I can be on the lookout for that ingredient from now on in other products?

Thank you in advance.

[Guest gfinnebraska]

I would make it the "old fashioned" way ~ take your favorite gluten-free pasta - cook it like usual. Then in a casserole dish - layer noodles, grated cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, butter ~ do so for 2 - 3 layers. Then mix 1 cup milk w/ 1 egg. Pour over noodle layers. Cover. Bake 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes. Until milk/egg liquid is gone. YUMMY!! You can also add diced up ham to the layers for a complete meal.

[jknnej]

Better yet, I use the DeBoles gluten-free instant Mac N Cheese. It is just like Kraft, but the cheese is white. Take it from someone who mac n cheese is their FAVORITE food..it is really good and it is exactly like Kraft mac n cheese. You just boil the pasta for 8 min, then add the cheese sauce that comes with it, butter and milk. I use soy butter and milk substitute, but you don't have to...

I get it at my local grocery store..it's in a blue and white box and says "gluten free, wheat free" in the top left hand corner.

It's awesome!

Oh, and by the way, the ingredients are all natural...much healthier option.

[skbird]

Easiest way to get the mac and cheese fix is buy Annies frozen mac and cheese with rice pasta. But it's usually about $3 a box (unless you get luck at your Grocery Outlet - sometimes they sell it there, hit or miss, and when they did last time it was $1 a box - I stocked up big time!)

But what I usually do when I want that mac and cheese experience is to make some pasta the regular way and while that's cooking, take some cheddar cheese and cube it up (or shred, but that takes more work!) and toss in a sauce pan. I usually use about 1/2 cup of cubes per serving, somewhere around that. Then I pour cream (really rich) or milk into the pan to nearly cover the cheese, add 1/2 tbsp sweet white rice flour, salt, pepper, mustard powder to taste, and heat while stirring. When it's all melted, if it's too thick I add more milk/cream, too thin then I add some more rice flour or cheese. Then drain the pasta well and add to the sauce. It's great and you don't have to bake for 40 mins (also no egg). Really tasty.

If you want a lower carb version or don't mind unusual combos, you can pour this over cooked cauliflour instead, or chopped up tofu. I know not everyone likes tofu but if you pour cheese sauce over a dish of chopped up tofu (to sort of resemble macaroni noodles) and then bake in the oven to brown the top a little, it is AWESOME and very filling (tons of protein).

Stephanie

[Jnkmnky]

Annie's is tasty enough, but pricey. We use the mega-healthy Velveeta on Tinkyada shells recipe. Add a little milk when mixing. Kids love it. Moms ....

[Guest gliX]

I use Velveeta cheese with the regular gluten-free noodles at trader joes..really good, make it like normal mac n' cheese..except i think after you drain the water you have to pour cold water over it..thats what my mom does D:

[mommida]

We've been eating the frozen rice mac n cheese from Amy's. In the micro for 4 minutes.

Laura

[Guest gfinnebraska]

I see I am the only "old fashion" one here!

Don't knock the long, slow, laborous way until you try it!

[skbird]

Well, Kimberly, you'll be gratified in knowing I copied your recipe because I never had a good one for the old fashion mac and cheese and was glad to get it!

Thanks!!!!!

Stephanie

mmmmmm, baked macaroni...

btw I think you can do the same thing in a crock pot...

[lovegrov]

"I see I am the only "old fashion" one here!"

Your way is the only way I'll eat it.

richard

[Guest gfinnebraska]

Yeah! Two more that like it all natural and gooey!

These "young" ones like things fast and easy. Ha!

Hope you enjoy it Stephanie... try it with the ham. My family loves it that way as a full meal. Plus it is great for leftovers.

[jknnej]

Velveeta is gluten free? The cheese AND the cheese sauce that comes with the pasta? Or just one or the other?

What about the annatto? I was under the impression we couldn't have that..I haven't had cheddar cheese in months because of this....

someone tell me the story so I can eat some cheese!!!

[KaitiUSA]

Velveeta is gluten free?

Velveeta is made by Kraft so they won't hide anything and yes it is gluten free

[skbird]

Sooooo hungry now......... [Homer sounds....]

I may be weird that way but I rarely prefer the fast way of doing anything involving food. I just get such a kick out of making things from scratch. It's like art or something to me. My husband got me a really nice knife for Christmas - it was like getting me a great paintbrush. Ahhhhh, so sublime when you can cut through green onions like a hot knife through butter.....

Stephanie

[gf4life]

I'll have to try the "old fashioned" recipe. I have the problem of never getting the cheese sauce to melt right (the cheese is always lumpy) when I try to make it from scratch on the stove top. Maybe the baked version will be better...Kimberly, do you have any apporximate measurements for this. It doesn't have to be exact, just to give me an idea of how much to make and how many it will serve.

My boys won't eat cheese, they eat their noodles plain or with a little butter (not even with pasta sauce!). My daughter likes the Amy's rice mac n' cheese, and the Velveeta melted with a little milk over Tinkyada pasta.

I would think that if you get the cheese packets (or velveeta sauce) out of a box of gluten pasta then the outside of the packet would be contaminated and could contaminate your gluten-free meal. I wouldn't risk it. I've heard of people buying the cheese powder in a can, no noodles to contaminate the packet that way...

God bless,

Mariann

[lbsteenwyk]

Your "Old Fashioned" mac and cheese sounds good. I'm going to try it soon. I make mine from scratch, too, but I do it on the stove top. My kids love it, but they've never had the box kind to compare it to. (My husband likes it too and he's not gluten-free, and grew up eating the box variety, so it must be okay). Here's my recipe:

2 T butter

2 T tapioca starch

1 cup whole or 2% milk

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Make a roux over medium heat, add the milk slowly and stir constantly with a wire wisk until thick. Add cheese, stir until melted. Pour over your favorite cooked gluten-free pasta. We like to add Salsa as a garnish.

[sspitzer5]

Could the problem with Kraft be the citric acid? I remember reading something about this, so I checked again and found this:

"Another surprise hidden gluten is citric acid. When citric acid is made in the United States, it is made from sugar cane, sugar beets or corn; however, when it is produced in China, it may be made from wheat. "

Might be worth a call to Kraft. It's my favorite!

Susan

[KaitiUSA]

Kraft is one of the brands that will not hide anything. If it had anything with wheat,rye,barley,oats then it would clearly state that on the label

So that would not be a problem unless stated on the label

[Guest gfinnebraska]

I use 1 lb. of cooked macaroni ~ then it is just a matter of how "cheesey" you want it. The salt and pepper is just lightly sprinkled on... and the butter is about 4 slivers placed around on each layer. I use 1 cup of milk and then whip and egg into it. I have never measured how much cheese I use because I just grab some out of a bag that I have already shredded ~ so that you will get a "feel" for how gooey you want it!

I didn't mean to start a debate on slow, from scratch vs. quick, from a box on this thread!! Oooops! I hope no one was offended by anything written ~ just trying to give a different recipe and way to do it!

[karenwinslow1]

WOW! You guys are terrific! Thanks so much for all of the suggestions. Now I've got some great recipes and some quick and easy fixes. I never had a good old fashioned recipe before . . . I can't wait to try it.

Thank again for everyones help!

Karen